Stay With Me
by Leaonna
Summary: New chapter is up! This story is from Ian's point of view where parts are left out of the story. From Wanda's extraction to her reinsertion into Pet, Ian is full of thoughts, feelings, and doubts about Wanda and their future life together.
1. Author's Note

******Author's Note 4/20/12 (UPDATES)**

Okay, so I got really nostalgic and traipsed upon my old account while I was looking for a favorite fanfic of mine. 'Lo and behold I have more reviews for this fic than I've ever had for a story. For some reason, my review alert was turned off (really need to get that turned back on!) Any who, reading the latest review from last December really tugged at me...literally begging me to update. So, I've decided I will do just that. What's kept me away was my impending marriage and getting through graduate school (which took every last effort to keep myself sane)! Now that I'm graduating in May, I'll have more free time during the summer to write (before I start a big girl job).

I've edited chapter content to fix any minor facts I might have missed, having read The Host over again. I also added in more some dialogue and expanded details. I feel as thought they have helped to develop the story even further. So it'll be just like brand new!

I am super excited to continue exploring Ian's character and the development of his relationship with Wanda (hopefully with longer chapters). I hope that the readers who subscribed to this story haven't given up on me and see that there is an update. :D

And now I'd like to clear up a few things from some questions asked in the reviews.

From _Needed:_

* * *

Q: "Wanda wasn't planning to be sent away. She was planning to die. So Mel should have told them that they can't kill Wanda."

* * *

That's true, but the writing is from Ian's perspective and he didn't know that. He rationalized that Wanda went to Doc in order to save Melanie, but he didn't understand her ulterior motives; that she was planning to die, essentially.

Mel understood Wanda's plans and how she didn't want anyone to know before it happened. So when she woke up, she was relieved Wanda was in a cryotank and "censored" her words when making her plea to Jared that they "couldn't let anything happen to her."

From _Informed:_

* * *

Q: Where was the part with Jared and the knife?

* * *

During the last part when Wanda wakes up after reinsertion into Pet's body and she demands to know why Doc didn't keep his word. He says he caved to Jared's duress:

"Duress," another terribly familiar voice scoffed.

"I'd say a knife to the throat counts as duress, Jared."

So there you have it. Happy reading, and as always, review please!


	2. Extracted

**Title**: Stay With Me

**Author**: Leaonna

**Disclaimer**: Everything is owned by Stephenie Meyer, not me. I'm just a big fan who loves her writing and characters so much that I try to write about them.

**Author's Note**: Okay, so as soon as I was done reading The Host, I fell in love with Ian and was super intrigued by his character. I was also curious what was going on in his mind during Wanda's extraction and reinsertion, so I thought up this fic one day when I was really bored at work. LOL. I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

_Extracted_

"Ian! Ian, wake up! We have to hurry," Jared hissed, and I jolted awake, startled from my dreams. I looked up into his face, sleep still fogging my mind. My hand searched for Wanda at my side, but I felt nothing but empty mattress.

Panic slithered through my veins like ice and the urgency in Jared's voice made me sit upright. "Where's Wanda?" I demanded.

His face was tight with remorse. "She went to see Doc," My body went cold at his rushed words. "I met her on her way there, but she wouldn't let me stop her. Ian, we have–".

I didn't even let him finish before I was on my feet, barreling through the rickety doors and sprinting toward the southern tunnel. I knew there was more to it, but it was as if all rational thought left me. There was no place for it. Not when I knew, likely, that Wanda was doing the most selfless thing imaginable.

"Damn it. Ian, wait!" Jared shouted after me.

I didn't wait to see if he followed. I didn't care. All that mattered was getting to Doc in time before he did anything to Wanda. But Jared was following; I could hear his footfalls and heavy breathing as he ran to catch up behind me. I knew my way around the tunnels well, but I still stumbled as I hurried along in the dark. I cursed myself and Jared for not bringing at least a flashlight. At least I had on my shoes.

Honestly, I tried not to panic as I ran. But the despair I felt when I learned Wanda was thinking of leaving washed over me in new waves. Pain stung in my chest as I thought of living without her, knowing she loved me as much as I loved her. She would live in a host on some other planet, enduring the pain of losing the people she cared most about, just so she could give one girl her life back. I marveled at her courage and selflessness. But it wasn't going to come to that. I wouldn't let it.

I felt as if I wasn't running fast enough. I could almost see Wanda lying face down on a gurney, Doc's scalpel so close to slicing her open. The thought made my stomach churn and I let out a growl of rage. _I won't let him touch her!_

A faint blue light illuminated the tunnel walls, and I knew we were getting close. I pushed myself harder.

"Wanda? Doc?" I yelled.

I barely slowed my pace into the hospital and had to skid to a halt, Jared very nearly colliding with my back. What I saw made me sick to my core. Wanda was already laying face down on the cot, put under heavy sedation. Kyle rose from his chair beside Jodi's lifeless form, watching me and no doubt waiting for me to blow up. He paused to place Sunny's tank in his chair before he moved to step forward. Doc stood close to Wanda, his face bewildered by our noisy entrance.

I could feel the rage boil under my skin and I lunged forward at him in anger, but Jared caught me by the arms.

I heard Kyle yell my name, but I wheeled around toward Jared. "What are you _doing_?" I shouted. Why was he stopping me? "He's going to cut her up!" I tried again to get free.

He struggled under my movements. "Stop! Jesus, O'Shea. It's not my fault you didn't let me explain anything!" Jared growled back, his hold strengthening. "A little help here, Kyle?"

"Nah, looks like you've got it handled," he replied with a smirk. But I didn't miss the edge of alertness in his eyes as he watched me.

"Enough," Doc interrupted, coming forward. "I'm not doing anything until we clear a few things up." His right hand rose in a gesture of reassurance, his voice calm but edged with a tone of urgency. Doc shifted his eyes to Jared, then came to rest on me again, eyebrows raised expectantly. "Can I trust you to contain yourself, Ian?"

I wretched my arms forcefully out of Jared's grip but otherwise stayed where I was. I tried to tell myself that my hands curled and uncurled themselves into tight fists as a way to calm myself. In reality, I wanted to turn around and punch Howe in the face for the second time within twenty-four hours. I stole a glance over at Kyle, who had moved a little closer to Doc. The twinge of betrayal I felt stung me, but I ignored it. What I needed right now was a good explanation.

Doc nodded, noting the change in my demeanor. "Good," he said. "I can guess that you figured out why Wanda is here, so it's no use keeping it a secret. I made a promise to her and I will not go back on that. I will be extracting her to save Melanie, _but_–" He held up his index finger as soon as he saw I was going to protest. I ground my teeth together in annoyance, my gaze flickering from Wanda's body back to Doc. "We can get her a body of her own...a body that has been occupied by a soul for so long there is no chance the original person is still there."

I let that sink in for a moment. Wanda wouldn't like this. In fact, I _knew_ she didn't like the idea, given what she said the last time we discussed the issue. But I couldn't help feel the sliver of hope that sliced through me.

Doc paused for a moment, taking me in. I looked at him, _really_ looked at him, for the first time since I came into the hospital. God, he looked like hell. His face was ragged with exhaustion, making him look at least ten years older than he was.

"Ian," he began sadly. "I know this is hard. I've been going back and forth with what's right and wrong about this situation for a while now. But we can't allow her to inhabit Melanie anymore. Not when there's some chance we can get her back." Behind me, Jared made a noise, but I didn't look at him. I kept my eyes on Wanda.

"It'll be better this way, Ian," I heard Kyle say with soft reassurance. He had moved to stand closer to me now. "And saving that girl in there…you know it's the right thing to do."

"Better for whom?" I replied softly.

But as I stared at Wanda's motionless figure, I realized the sickening truth that Doc and Kyle were right. We needed to save Melanie. And as long as Wanda was inside Melanie's body, she belonged to Jared and I could have no true claim on her. The thought brought on pure agony. As selfish as it was, I wanted Wanda to belong to me and me alone. I wanted her to love me and not have her feelings divided between herself and the body she wears. I couldn't – I _wouldn't_ – live without her. It was not an option.

I turned my gaze to Doc as I comprehended this information. If we did it this way, we would be giving Wanda what she wanted as well, and that was the most important thing. We would save Melanie's life and Wanda wouldn't _technically_ be considered a parasite. We would make sure the person the body belonged to is long gone. This solution would give us all what we wanted. But there was only one way this was going to happen.

"Okay, Doc," I said firmly. "We'll do it. But I want to help you take her out." I heard Jared start to say something but I raised my hand to silence him. "Doc, I know that Jared has a say on what happens to Melanie, but I have a claim on the soul that wears her. I want to be the one that touches Wanda...the only one."

Silence followed my request. Jared stared at me with an unfathomable expression, but I knew he would say nothing. He trusted me enough, and he wanted his Melanie back at all costs. Kyle scoffed, but otherwise didn't say a word. He had never understood my attachment to Wanda. Just recently he had come to realize my fierce need to protect her. It was the way he was with Sunny. My only concern right now was Doc. I watched him contemplate for a few moments, and then a soft smile curved on his lips.

"All right, Ian. If that's how it its, we'll do it your way."

I didn't realize I was holding my breath until it came out in a rush of air.

"But it would be best if we did this quickly," he continued, his eyes glancing down at the girl on the cot. I took his anxiousness to mean that we were pressed for time; if we didn't get Wanda out, Melanie would grow weaker inside her own body until it would be too late to save her. "Jared, grab a cryotank and we'll get started."

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**Author's Note:** Thanks a bunch to those of you who have taken the time to read and review my story. I truly appreciate it so much!

If you haven't written a review, please feel free to do so! There have been over 1,300 hits since the story has been published. Too bad the reviews don't reflect that. So please do take some time to write a little something. I love hearing from the readers, even if it is a very small base. It makes me eager to write more!


	3. Needed

**Title**: Stay With Me

**Author**: Leaonna

**Disclaimer**: Everything is owned by Stephenie Meyer, not me. I'm just a big fan who loves her writing and characters so much that I try to write about them.

* * *

_Needed_

A few hours later, I sat with Jared in the hospital, the cryotank holding Wanda cradled securely in my arms. It was so quiet the silence rang in my ears. Jodi lay unmoving in the furthest corner of the hospital and Doc had left hours ago with Kyle. They both looked about ready to fall over, so I told them to go rest. Kyle was reluctant at first, not wanting to leave Jodi's side in case she woke up. But sleep deprivation and starvation won out. However, knowing Doc and how he worried, sleep was probably the furthest thing from his mind. It was still worth a try, at least.

The hardest part of the extraction was over, and the cut at the back of Melanie's neck was sealed shut, completely as unnoticeable as before. God, those medicines were truly amazing. _We are so lucky Wanda is with us_. I grit my teeth and closed my eyes in shame at the thought of going against her wishes, angry at my selfishness. But really it wasn't just about us. It was about helping our entire community and she was a part of it.

With that thought, I couldn't help but feel the resolve of what we were doing strengthen in me. Wanda is inherently selfless. She would understand that our actions were for the good of everyone we lived with and would want to help…no matter that I hated the thought of her going out on raids. That soured my mood a bit.

Jared, however, was all for it. Right now, he sat hovering over Melanie's sleeping form with his head held in his hands, waiting for the sedation to wear off. He was no doubt praying we weren't too late, that Melanie wasn't gone for good. To be honest, I was lost in my own thoughts, extremely pleased with how well the extraction went.

I don't think I've ever been as nervous in my entire life as I was in those crucial moments. It didn't help that Jared stood behind Doc and I, watching our every move. I had wanted to shove him out of the room, but I knew he had every right to be there as I did. I was so worried I would do something wrong and hurt Wanda that I nearly went back on my decision to help Doc. But as soon as he started cutting along the faded pink scar, the anticipation and excitement of finally being able to see Wanda in her true form won me over. Doc's hands moved so swiftly that he already had the blood flow slowed and the muscles of the neck pushed aside by the time I realized he was waiting for me.

"All right, now I know you've seen this done before, but I'll walk you through it again, okay?" he said.

I had swallowed hard and nodded. Remembering the day Wanda taught us how to safely remove the soul from the healer's body, I recalled the awe I felt at seeing a soul's true form with my own eyes. It was nothing like I had pictured.

I found myself wondering in that moment if Wanda would look exactly the same, or if she would be different. I tried to listen again to Doc explain about a big nodule on the underside of a soul's body; that's what I needed to find. He helped me find the anterior antennae and the attachments first.

"Now, turn your finger and count down. Do you feel the nodules?" Doc had asked.

"Yeah," I had said, my voice breaking. My eyes were glued to that little silver segment embedded into the pink and red. I finally came to realize that I was touching Wanda..._Wanda_, not her host body. I sighed, and for some strange reason, I felt the warm spread of happiness fill my chest.

"Good," Doc continued. "Now find the largest one. Got it? Rub it very gently inward toward the body."

She had started to wriggle and I froze. Doc chuckled nervously.

"You're fine. That's supposed to happen, remember?"

I grimaced, but otherwise continued to stroke the nodule inward, waiting for her to roll up a little more. When she did, I didn't need instructions on what to do next. I looked behind me to make sure that Jared held the cryotank ready. He was there, but he hadn't noticed my glance; his eyes were fixed on Melanie's lifeless form, worry and fear etched into the very lines of his face. I turned back to Wanda, lifting her gently from the back of Melanie's neck.

"Good work, Ian," Doc had said and quickly began healing the wound.

But I was otherwise entirely consumed by what I held in my hands. Oddly enough, Wanda's words came into my head, when she told me I would be disgusted if I ever touched her _true_ body_. _She couldn't have been more wrong. Wanda was _beautiful_...so much more than the other souls I had seen. They were all lovely in their own way, but she surpassed them all. She shone brighter, and she had more whispery attachments that moved with such grace, they almost put the elegant way she rippled her body to shame. I stood there for a moment, completely mesmerized by her, until I felt Doc's hand on my arm.

"Okay, now put her gently into the tank," he had said softly, no doubt also marveling at the beauty before his eyes. I was surprised at how much it pained me to let her go, to let her be free of my hands and held captive. I don't know what my face betrayed as I slid her into the tank, but Jared looked at me and smiled tightly as he closed the lid and handed the tank to me. I held it gingerly in my hands before taking it completely into my arms. _I was the only one to touch her,_ I thought to myself, elated.

Jared's impatient voice brought me out of my reverie to the present.

"Why do you think it's taking so long for her to wake up?" he asked.

I looked up and met his anxious eyes. His hands had moved to tightly grip Melanie's, rubbing them as if the gesture would make her awake faster.

"I don't know," I replied, my voice hoarse from remaining silent the past few hours. "I'm guessing she didn't inhale that much chloroform, so it shouldn't be much longer."

Jared simply nodded and went back to watching Melanie for any sign that she was regaining consciousness. We were quiet again for some time. Despite my resentment at the way things were, I couldn't leave my gratitude at his intervention with Wanda unspoken.

"Thank you," I said softly.

Jared glanced up at me again with a grim smile. To his credit, he did not ask me why. He knew I held my entire world in my hands.

"I owe her," he stated simply.

He was quiet for a few moments before I heard him clear his throat and speak again.

"So...what are we going to do with her?" He tipped his head toward the tank. "I mean, we have to find her a body soon."

I nodded in agreement. I hated the fact that Wanda was cooped up, frozen in some tank. It wasn't where she belonged. She belonged in a host. She belonged with me.

"And I'm sure you'll want to come along and help pick out the body..." he added.

I raised my eyes to him and glared, all feeling of friendship I had for him gone at the moment. "No, I'd rather not," I said, not caring that my voice was flat and almost sounded angry. "I'm not leaving her alone. I don't care what her host looks like, just as long as it's Wanda who's inside of her."

He blinked at my reaction.

"Oh," he said simply. I frowned. Did Jared really think of me as a shallow man? Was it so difficult to understand that I fell in love with Wanda herself and not the body of the host she took over? I looked fondly at the cryotank I held in my arms, thinking of the soul it held inside. No it wasn't that difficult at all.

We heard the movement before the raspy voice.

"Jared?" Melanie whispered softly.

He whipped around at the sound of his name. I started at the voice that no longer belonged to Wanda, but it didn't seem to affect me the way it did before. Melanie blinked her hazel eyes, shaking off the sedation. It was odd now, seeing them void of the silver sheen behind them.

"Mel!" Jared cried, grabbing her sluggish body into a tight embrace. He pulled away slightly, kissing her hands, her face, her hair...every inch of her that he could reach before he finally settled on her lips. I turned my head away, waiting for the pang of jealousy to come.

But there was nothing.

If I felt anything at all, it was envy. I wished that I could hold Wanda. I wanted to kiss her, comfort her, tell her that everything was going to be all right, just like Jared was doing for Melanie. He wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her into his chest.

"Ah, I knew you could do it Mel. I knew you were a fighter!" he exclaimed, and kissed her hair before pulling her away from his body so he could look at her. But instead of showing happiness, Melanie's face went slack, her eyes suddenly filled with horror at abrupt awareness.

"She's not here," she whispered to herself, almost inaudibly. "It's just me."

She still seemed so confused and weak. But the sedation was wearing off. She winced, tears filling her eyes as she remembered something. As quickly as the emotion emerged on her face, it was gone.

"We can't let anything happen to Wanda, Jared. We can't," she said grabbing at his shirt.

"I know that," he replied, quickly, not wanting to cause her pain. "She's not going anywhere, see?" He nodded his head to where I sat by Doc's desk. Her eyes skimmed over me and rested on the cryotank I held lovingly in my hands. She exhaled with relief.

"Welcome back," I said plainly.

Then again, what was I supposed to say to a complete stranger? I knew almost nothing about Melanie, except for what Wanda had told me. But I _was_ glad she was back. I wanted to get to know this human for whom Wanda had so willingly sacrificed herself. Melanie smiled faintly at me, as though she was happy to see me. Yet when _she_ smiled, I didn't feel the usual tightening in my stomach or the thud of my heart when Wanda smiled at me with that body. I had always known I loved Wanda for who she was, and not the body she wore, but this was further proof. I found myself smiling in response.

Melanie turned back to Jared, her hands on his arms. "We have to keep her safe," she said, her voice just above whisper, but fervent with emotion. "She's like my sister. And Jamie..." She closed her eyes and began shaking her head, miserably. "We need her...I need her. I feel so...weird...so empty, without her in my head..." Her voice trailed off.

"Don't worry about it, baby," Jared cooed, stroking Melanie's hair. "Ian and I were just making plans before you woke up."

I should leave and go find Doc. Give them some privacy for a little while.

I cleared my throat. "Uh, Melanie, why don't you rest while I go get Doc and let him know you're awake?" I suggested, rising from the chair, taking Wanda with me. "You have to be exhausted."

I walked out of the hospital into the dark tunnel without waiting for a response, leaving the two alone. The red flashing beams of the occupied cryotank acted as a source of light for me this time.

The truth was, I was drained as well, and would be glad of the time when I could finally sit and think in peace.

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**Author's Note:** Big thanks so much to those of you who read and reviewed! I'm so glad you like it so far. Keep them coming!


	4. Informed

**Title**: Stay With Me

**Author**: Leaonna

**Disclaimer**: Everything is owned by Stephenie Meyer, not me. I'm just a big fan who loves her writing and characters so much that I try to write about them.

**Author's Note**: Thanks so much for the reviews, everyone! I couldn't be more thrilled that you all are enjoying the fic. I love hearing from the readers, even if it is a very small base, so keep them coming. It makes me eager to write more! xD

* * *

_Informed_

It took me a while to find Doc. But then again, if I was being honest with myself, I wasn't in the biggest hurry to find him. There were too many things going through my head that needed sorting out, too many questions I needed to ask him. Besides, Melanie would be all right for a while, with Jared there with her.

I walked a little faster when I reached the fields, doubting Doc would be there, but looking for him anyway. It was just about daybreak now, and everybody started trickling in to start the day's work. Deep down, I felt a pang of resentment: there was hardly anyone here who knew what happened the last few hours, and I wished that I too could be so blissfully ignorant. I quickly scanned the room for Doc, but my eyes locked on Trudy instead, who stared back. She was stopped in her actions, bent over the water barrel, and looked first at the cryotank I held at my side, then to my eyes. I don't know what she saw in my expression, but her crinkled orbs held a questioning look, and I could only guess at what she wanted to know: _Is that Wanda in there?_

I nodded a small nod, and the sadness that filled her eyes before she bent down to continue her work did not go unnoticed. It was exactly the sort of thing that supported my point at the tribunal last night: we needed her for so much more than getting out of tight spots during raids. She is a part of our community and there were people who had grown to think of her as a friend, although she meant so much more to me. But right now I would only allow myself to act on one thing, and that was to find Doc.

After searching the bedroom tunnels, I finally found him in the kitchen. I had expected him to be alone, but I wasn't surprised when I saw Jeb sitting next to him at the long table. They were both nibbling at the hard rolls and talking in hushed tones. When I entered, they stopped abruptly and looked up at me.

"Melanie's awake now," I said, my voice still a little rough. I kept my eyes on Doc, trying to communicate that I wanted to talk to him. It was Jeb who got the hint first.

"Well, I s'pose I'll go find the kid and bring him to see her," he answered gruffly.

I didn't know the relationship Jeb had with Melanie, but his voice carried a tone of relief mixed with conflict. He also had grown attached to Wanda.

"Knowing Jamie, he's still probably sleeping and has no idea what's goin' on." Jeb continued. He rose from the table, clamping his large hand on Doc's shoulder to console him.

"You did the right thing, Doc," he said.

Then with a last, sympathetic nod to me, he was gone. I slowly made my way further into the kitchen, unsure of how to start. Luckily, as he always does, Doc took the lead.

"How are you, Ian?" he asked me, scrutinizing my face. He worried about everyone too much.

I exhaled and walked forward, taking a seat across from him, setting Wanda on the table in the space beside me.

"I'm all right," I answered, but Doc's eyebrows shot up into his hairline in that skeptical way they do when he knows you're upset.

He took a bite out of his roll as he watched me carefully.

"Okay, well, I'm fine other than having a lot on my mind." I expanded. I stole a glance at the cryotank to my left, and watched from the corner of my eye as Doc followed it.

"Yes, I can see that," he urged softly, politely, waiting for me to initiate.

_Where to even start?_ I thought to myself. The best place I knew to begin was to ask why he had agreed to do the extraction in the first place.

"I guess I just–," I began, remembering the way he examined his instruments, being as meticulous as only Doc could be. Before I realized it, my anger flared and slipped into my tone. "I don't understand _why_ you did it when you knew how much we needed her...how much we _still_ need her. Did what we say at the tribunal mean anything to you?"

I tried to calm myself, rationalizing that Doc wouldn't act on behalf of everyone unless there was a good enough reason. It was amazing how irrational I became when it came to Wanda.

Doc looked down at the table and wrung his neck with his free hand, deciding on how to respond.

"You know _why_ I did it…just not the stipulations," he replied, looking back at me as he said the last.

"What stipulations?" I asked. My brow furrowed in confusion.

As far as I was concerned, there was only _one_ stipulation, and it couldn't even be considered that: Wanda wanted to give Melanie back her life, to save her…but then what would happen to Wanda? Were we supposed to send her off to another planet? Get her a new host body? It was never actually decided upon.

"Yes. I was to extract Wanda from Melanie's body, that much you know, but–," He broke off and sighed heavily. "Wanda would hate me for telling you this. She wouldn't want to hurt you. But since I'm already disregarding her wishes, I might as well…" he muttered.

My patience started growing thin after a few moments. "Well, what is it, Doc?" I pressed.

He looked at me for a few seconds, then looked back down and scoffed at himself. "We humans are so selfish," he began, starting over. "I never _truly_ knew that until I met Wanda. She let us in on the most important secret the souls have to offer about their world, going against her kind, and sacrificing herself for the host." He smiled sadly and I looked at Wanda's cryotank, keeping silent, needing him to continue.

"However, you aren't aware of the conditions in which she gave me that knowledge, Ian. Of course you know I was to save the Seeker and send her off to another planet, keeping the host intact. But Wanda didn't want that for herself."

I looked back to him and felt my eyes begin to narrow into a glare, letting his words sink in.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice taking on a dangerous tone.

"She came to me when she had decided to save the Seeker, telling me I could save everyone who may not be completely erased, although there were no guarantees. I, of course, jumped at the opportunity, agreeing to give the souls safe passage to another of their worlds. It didn't completely dawn on me what she was giving us until she spoke of it herself." He looked up at me with an almost guilty expression before he continued in a soft voice. "That was when she told me she never meant to be shipped off to another planet like the rest of the souls. _'This is my planet'_, she had said. She asked me to bury her next to Wes and Walter...and not let anyone else know about it."

My entire body went cold. Then, it heated up with another round of fury. She was going to permanently take herself away from us, from _me_? And Doc had agreed to it?

"Why in the _hell_ would you say yes to something like that?" I nearly shouted, my teeth clenched tightly.

He had the nerve to laugh quietly as he shook his head, however weak it was. "That is exactly the reaction Jared had. He can be very persuasive when he needs to be."

My ire hampered a bit, slightly overcome by interest. I knew Jared, and his "persuasive" ways: when it comes to Howe, threats work best. I couldn't help the fraction of a smirk that raised my lips at the thought of Jared threatening Doc.

"Persuasive how?" I asked.

"Oh, he attacked me with a knife after I put Wanda under."

He replied in such an offhand way that it was almost funny.

I scoffed. "Yeah, that sounds like Howe," I muttered. "And about as tactful, too."

But no matter how grateful I was for what he did, I was a little confused about his actions to protect Wanda, especially when he wanted Melanie back more than anything.

Doc grew serious as he spoke again. "I wasn't going to do anything, though. I couldn't…I _wouldn't_ kill her, no matter what she made me promise. Jared's idea from the tribunal stuck with me; that we could get her a host body, but with no chance of the original human mind still there. He also thought it would be the best solution, seeing as how we all refused to live without her. So he came to get you." He laughed silently again. "Apparently you didn't give him much time to explain anything, the way you barged in there." He gave me a soft, friendly smile, but I was unable to return it with any form of politeness. My head was reeling.

It was all too much for me to process in front of Doc.

"Thank you, Doc. For telling me this."

"Of course, Ian. I thought you should know, considering that–"

"You should probably check Melanie now, Doc," I said, interrupting him. I reached for Wanda's cryotank and rose from the table. "And Jodi, too. She still hasn't woken up." Doc nodded and said no more, and we left the kitchen in silence.

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As always, please review after reading! It's what keeps me writing. :) That way I know I'm not boring everyone to death! Please look forward to an update soon! I have about 6 or 7 chapter ideas culminating in my head, but if there's something in particular you'd like to read, leave me a comment in a review. ;)


	5. Questioned

**Title: **Stay With Me

**Author: **Leaonna

**Disclaimer**: Everything is owned by Stephenie Meyer, not me. I'm just a big fan who loves her writing and characters so much that I try to write about them. I worked in some of the dialogue from the book as Ian remembers, so please keep in mind that the words are Ms. Meyers'. I'm just simply putting my spin on Ian's thought processes behind them.

**Author's Note:** Special thanks to all that reviewed! I'm glad that you're liking the story so far. :D

And finally, a new chapter! Without further ado, here is the latest addition. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it.

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_Questioned_

I sat on the edge of my mattress, my back stiff, with Wanda's tank settled beside me. I didn't know how long I had been here, but apparently it had been hours. Kyle had been gone from the room before I arrived. There was no doubt in my mind that he was back in the hospital, sidled up next to Jodi's cot.

As my stomach groaned with hunger pains, I realized I hadn't eaten anything since dinner the night before. It didn't really matter to me, though. My appetite was long gone with the knowledge that Wanda would rather die than stay with us. Rather die than stay with _me_. God, that was so much worse that the thought of her leaving. Incomprehensible. I ran a hand across my face as a brand new slash of agony cut into me, deeper than the others. If I kept thinking like this, I was going to need a dose of No Pain.

Glancing at the tank, I wondered if she ever really loved me at all. She'd said as much yesterday, but how much of it did she actually mean and how much was it the obvious aversion she felt to hurting anyone. I remembered last night, defined by my dichotomistic feelings. The anguish and rage mixed with the hope and happiness. We had all been in the hospital after Kyle had shown up with Sunny. Wanda, being who she was, was off in a corner with my brother, trying to comfort the soul inside Jodi…

_Jared, Doc and I talked to the newest addition to our caves, trying to help her remember, and waiting for Trudy to get there. If anyone could calm her, it was Trudy. But I was curious about the three sitting in the corner. Kyle looked downright miserable, so I knew Wanda had to be affected. With my always anxious need to protect her, I walked to where Wanda sat with the others, picking up slivers of their hushed conversation as I went. When I got close enough to stand behind Wanda, I caught the rest of what she was saying. It stopped me dead in my tracks._

_"I have to go too, Sunny, just like you. I have to give my body back." Wanda said._

_I couldn't believe my ears._

_"What?"_

_My voice did not sound like my own. It was hollow and flat as I recognized the words that had come from Wanda's mouth._

_I couldn't help the rage that flowed through my body then, heating my blood and narrowing my eyes into a glare._

_"Ian, what's the problem?" Kyle's voice asked._

_Wanda flinched, huddled in on herself as she turned to face me. What I saw in her eyes fanned my fury even more. She was not frightened, which was good; she had nothing to fear from me. But in its place I found dread; dread, no doubt, at having to face a conversation she was hoping to avoid._

_No way in _hell_ that was going to happen._

_"Wanda?" I snarled at her through gritted teeth, holding out my hand for her. It had taken everything I had to keep it from forming into a fist. I waited for about two heartbeats before I reached down and grabbed Wanda's upper arm, yanking her to her feet. I had to shake her to get rid of Sunny, much to the displeasure of my brother._

_"What is _with_ you?" he demanded, moving to rise off the floor._

_I saw red. Without even thinking, I felt my right leg lift and soar forward, my foot colliding with Kyle's face. Hard._

_As I watched him fall back, I felt no guilt. I was like a man possessed, having no reservation whatsoever of kicking my nearest and dearest in the face if he so much as thought of getting in my way._

_"Ian!" Wanda cried in disbelief._

_"C'mon," I growled in response, dragging her along after me._

_"Ian–," she began again, but I ignored her, determined on moving forward._

_The looks of sheer bewilderment I received from the others didn't register in my mind. They didn't know what I just heard. I pushed past them, too focused and half out of my mind._

_I jerked us to a stop as I realized Jared blocked our only exit._

_"Have you lost your mind, Ian? What are you doing to her?" he asked, the anger clear on his face._

_The better question was what was _he_ doing? Didn't he see that I was dangerous to everyone _but_ her?_

_"Did you know about this?" I shouted back, pulling Wanda forward, toward him._

_"You're going to hurt her!"_

_Hurt her? I was going to _save_ her! _Someone_ had to save her from herself._

_"Do you know what she's planning?" I hollered._

_He just stared at me. Completely void of emotion._

_His silence was all the confirmation I needed. Infuriated, I launched my fist into his face, so quickly I surprised even myself. He stumbled back into the tunnel from the impact, evidently as astonished as I was by my speed._

_"Ian, stop," Wanda pleaded._

_"_You_ stop," I rumbled in response, and dragged her forward into the tunnel, paying no attention to how she struggled to keep up with me._

_"O'Shea!" Jared yelled, his voice echoing against the stone walls._

_Was he serious? He thought I was going to hurt her? God, he made me sick. I told him as much, yelling over my shoulder, not bothering to break my stride. "_I'm_ going to hurt her? _I am_? _You hypocritical swine_!" I roared._

_I hauled Wanda through the tunnels, my sole intent on getting us to my room so she could explain herself. She continued to stumble alongside me, but I urged her on, tugging her upper arm as if she were a rag doll. Her quiet cry of pain shamed me._

_My steps stuttered, then halted completely. I could hear my ragged breathing sounding off of the tunnel walls._

_I had hurt her. I hadn't been aware of the grip in my hand; I was so absorbed by my anger. I hurt her._

_"Ian, Ian, I…" she started, but didn't finish. I was glad of that. We were not having this conversation in a dark tunnel._

_Gently scooping her up into my arms, I cradled her against my chest and started running. The anger still pumped through my veins, fueling me. I ran, past more bewildered faces through the fields, toward the bedroom tunnels, not stopping until I had reached my room. Kicking in the red door, I stalked over to the mattress and plopped Wanda down. In an attempt to calm myself, I grabbed the fallen door and wretched it back into its place._

_I took a few deep breaths before turning around to face Wanda. As soon as I did, I felt my face form into a scowl again. She sat on her knees at the edge of the mattress, her expression desperate, looking up at me._

_I made sure to speak evenly and clearly, punctuating every word._

_"You. Are. Not. Leaving. Me."_

_Period._

_"Ian, you have to see that…that I can't stay. You _must_ see that."_

_"_No!_" I shouted back. It was sheer denial; the only thing I could think of to say to make her stop._

_As she flinched from me, I felt my anger leave me in a rush. Her words from the hospital echoed in my head, draining me, leaving me cold and empty._

"…I have to give my body back."

_I was a broken man, crumbling to my knees on the floor. Seeking comfort from the object of my agony, I wrapped my arms around her waist and sobbed into her, the sounds ripping from my throat._

_"No, Ian, no," she pleaded with me. "Don't please. Please, don't."_

_I could only cry her name in my anguish._

_"Ian, please. Don't feel this way. Don't. I'm so sorry. Please," she implored, her voice thick with tears._

_"You can't leave," I denied, my heart breaking._

_"I have to, I have to."_

_We cried together, my soul and me, locked in a tight embrace. We stayed that way for a long time, though it felt like only minutes._

_But I needed to be strong. For her._

_Drying my eyes, I straightened myself and gathered Wanda into my chest, holding her tightly as she continued to cry. As distraught as I was in these moments, I wanted to do anything to comfort her, to protect her from this hurt._

_When she quieted, the guilt I felt at dragging her out of the hospital nagged at me._

_"Sorry," I whispered into her hair. "I was mean."_

_"No, no. _I'm_ sorry," she said. "I should have told you, when you didn't guess. I just…I couldn't. I didn't want to tell you – to hurt you – to hurt me. It was selfish."_

_Selfish. I didn't think Wanda had a selfish bone in her body. But she should have told me. She must have known how I cared for her._

_"We need to talk about this, Wanda. It's not a done deal. It can't be."_

_"It is."_

_I shook my head, clenching my teeth. "How long? How long have you been planning this?" I grit out._

_"Since the Seeker," she responded quietly._

_I nodded, cursing my stupidity. Of course. How could I have been so blind._

_"And you thought that you had to give up your secret to save her. I can understand that. But that doesn't mean you have to go anywhere. Just because Doc knows now…that doesn't _mean _anything." I felt my anger returning again, but I was powerless to stop it. "If I'd thought for one minute that it did, that one action equaled the other, I wouldn't have stood there and let you show him. No one is going to force you to lie down on his blasted gurney! I'll break his hands if he tries to touch you!"_

_"Ian, please."_

_"They can't make you, Wanda! Do you hear me?" I yelled._

_"No one is making me. I didn't show Doc how to do the separation so that I could save the Seeker," she began, quietly. "The Seeker's being here just made me have to decide…faster. I did it to save Mel, Ian."_

_I said nothing. I didn't trust anything civil to come from my lips._

_"She's trapped in here, Ian. It's like a prison – worse than that; I can't even describe it. She's like a ghost. And I can free her. I can give her herself back."_

_"You deserve a life too, Wanda. You deserve to stay."_

_"But I _love_ her, Ian."_

_It was as I feared then. I closed my eyes, feeling the dread wash over me. I remembered the danger she put herself in to save Jamie, risking bodily harm to do anything in her power to help him. She would do anything for someone she loves._

_Did she love me? Would she stay for me?_

_"But I love _you_," I whispered. "Doesn't that matter?"_

_Please let it matter._

_"Of course it matters," she said. "So much. Can't you see? That only makes it more…necessary."_

_I opened my eyes at her words._

_Necessary. Necessary, no doubt, because of Jared. Then she didn't care for me as I thought. Maybe she did want Jared instead. My jealousy raged, but I kept it tightly leashed. I spoke, barely masking the bitterness in my voice._

_"Is it so unbearable to have me love you? Is that it? I can keep my mouth shut, Wanda. I won't say it again. You can be with Jared, if that's what you want. Just stay."_

_I didn't even know what I was saying…something–anything–to change her mind. She deserved a life she wanted; even she didn't want to share it with me. But did I really think I would be able to handle it if she was with Jared? If he wanted to be with her? His hands on her…kissing her…_

No_. I would be half out of my mind all the time. I nearly shook myself to dislodge the image from my head._

_"No, Ian!" Her hands were on my face then, stilling me, controlling me. Chaining my temper. "No. I–I love you, too. Me, the little silver worm in the back of her head."_

_I felt unspeakable joy in that moment. Joy, at least, until she continued._

_"But my body doesn't love you. It can't love you. I can never love you in this body, Ian. It pulls me in two. It's unbearable."_

_I closed my eyes, feeling them grow wet again. I couldn't let her see the sheer agony I knew was in them. Hating the ache I heard in her voice, I tried to tell myself that it wasn't her fault her host loved someone else. But if I was capable of loving her, regardless of her body, why couldn't she do the same?_

_I felt Wanda move beside me, felt her arms snake around my neck. She urged me forward, touching her lips to mine. I was surprised, but I responded nevertheless. It was senseless, this need I had for her, even as I knew she was taking herself from me. But I couldn't refuse her, no matter how it hurt. If this was what she needed from me, I would give it to her._

_My arms encircled her, pulling her into me, until I felt her against every inch of my body. The contact made me shiver, humming like low-level electricity under my skin._

_Our kiss was different from the others we'd shared. It wasn't about my jealousy toward Jared or her finding Melanie after she had been lost. This kiss was just for us. It was not forceful, yet still; it held my attention like a marching band. In those moments, I claimed Wanda, the 'little silver worm' as she had called herself, infusing everything I had into my lips, into my touch. As if I could keep her here through sheer will alone._

_If I had been a broken man before, this kiss knit me back together. The bonds were fused stronger, tighter. I knew I would not fall apart again._

_And I knew there was no way I was letting her go without a fight._

_When my cheeks had grown wet and I tasted salt, I realized she was crying again. Tightening my hold on her, I moved my lips to her eyes, kissing away her tears._

_"Don't cry, Wanda. Don't cry. You're staying with me." I told her._

_"Eight full lives," she whispered softly. "Eight full lives and I never found anyone I would stay on a planet for, anyone I would follow when they left. I never found a partner. Why now? Why you? You're not of my species. How can you be my partner?"_

_"It's a strange universe," I responded dryly, recalling words I had spoken some time ago. It had felt like ages._

_"It's not fair," she whined, and I almost laughed at the pleasure she gave me, hearing her complain for once._

_"I love you," she whispered then, and the ache in my chest twisted painfully._

_Then stay. Stay with me._

_"Don't say that like you're saying good-bye."_

_Her voice became stronger as she looked at me. "I, the soul called Wanderer, love you, human Ian. And that will never change, no matter what I might become. If I were a Dolphin or a Bear or a Flower, it wouldn't matter. I would always love you, always remember you. You will be my only partner."_

Recalling the searing memory brought fresh tears to my eyes. I had called the tribunal later that day, but of course that hadn't mattered. Wanda had already made up her mind to release Melanie in the worst possible way. I still couldn't wrap my mind around it. I know Wanda better than anyone, aside from Melanie. So why was it so difficult for me to see past my pride and my love for her to understand?

I was talking myself in circles. Thinking about my options, I knew if I had questions, there was only one other person beside Wanda herself to go to for answers. I would remember to talk to her later.

Right now, I heard someone approaching my room. By the sound of the trudging steps, I knew it was Kyle. Before his heavy fist hit against the decrepit doors to our room, I heard his voice.

"Knock, knock," he said.

Under the force of his touch, the red door fell onto the floor with a resounding boom.

That poor thing had taken such a beating today.

Kyle's shocked look was instantly replaced with a self-satisfied smirk.

"Uh, so I guess that means I can come in?" he asked.

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Please let me know what you think!


	6. Changed

**Title: **Stay With Me

**Author: **Leaonna

**Disclaimer**: Everything is owned by Stephenie Meyer, not me. I'm just a big fan who enjoys her writing and characters so much that I try to write about them.

**Author's Note**: So, I'm really excited about this chapter! I got to mention a bit of Ian's back-story…it is seriously lacking in The Host. And I absolutely had to do something with Ian and Kyle's relationship to show how it was repaired…I hated that they were always fighting!

So, without further ado, please read and review!

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_Changed_

Kyle walked into the room and put the door to rights. Looking up at him, I felt a little guilty about the dark bruises forming under his eyes. He had cleaned up, but still had a little dried blood that he had missed on the outside of one nostril. The bruising looked even worse as he came closer and plopped down next to me on the mattress.

"Sorry about the…" I began awkwardly with a grimace, and gestured with my finger in a circle around my face.

Kyle scoffed. "What, the whole 'kicking-me-in-the-face' thing? The hell you are. You've been waiting to do that a long time and just needed the excuse."

This was all too true. Feeling my face spread into a grin, I replied, "If that's the case, I've had so many excuses I can barely keep track."

Kyle nodded, but did not smile. Instead, his brow furrowed and his eyes tightened a bit in the corners. Then his eyes flashed down to Wanda's tank beside me. "I can think of a time where you would have been justified to do more than kick my face in," he said softly. "You almost did."

My expression began to fall when I realized what he meant: when he almost killed Wanda, about ready to throw her into the river. How I would have let him be killed or exiled for it. I could feel Kyle's eyes on mine and knew he could see immediately what I was picturing in my head. Another one of our 'internal conversations', as Jeb would call it.

"I hated you for a while, you know," I said, my voice rough. "After what you did."

"Honestly? I hated myself a little, too," he answered.

We were quiet for a time, until he spoke. "I've wanted—," he began, and then shut his mouth. I turned my head toward him; I wanted to hear this, the closest thing I would get to an apology from my brother. "I didn't feel guilty at first," he started over. "I thought I was justified and in the right to try get rid of her. I saw how you had taken to Wanda and I couldn't stand that another one of those parasites had wrapped themselves around my family again." Anger edged its way into Kyle's voice, making it shake a bit.

I looked down at my hands folded in my lap. "Kyle," I began, "you don't—"

"Shut up, Ian," he interrupted me. "You need to hear this."

He took my look of surprise as a sign to continue and let out a sigh of air in a rush, hurrying through his apology awkwardly. "Afterwards, I tried to avoid you both at all costs, but I still watched you. I finally realized that you weren't just defending Wanda because Jeb told you to, but you actually cared for her. When I…did what I did, I hurt you, too. It didn't sit right with me, and I've been trying to make it better ever since. You're all the family I've got left, Ian, and I don't want to ruin that."

Kyle was hardly one to voice his emotions, so this was a side of my brother I rarely got to see. He looked at me then and I could see the regret in his eyes, how truly sorry he was. I nodded, accepting him. The tension in our relationship was ebbing but it wasn't gone completely. There were things we both needed to forgive each other for before that happened.

"Thank you," I said quietly. "As much as I couldn't stand to even look at you for a while, I understood. Especially with what happened to Jodi…and with mom."

And I did understand. The same fury and anger that fueled him ate away at me every day, still so raw after six years. Because of it, I didn't second-guess my actions when I tried to kill Wanda the very first time. That one, singular moment is a black mark on my heart that I wish I could erase. But I can't and it's the reason that I will _always_ protect Wanda and keep her safe, trying to make up for that.

"I know you're not the same man you were when we came here," I continued. "You treat Wanda better and I've seen how you are with Sunny. You _have_ changed."

_For the better,_ I finished in my head. I still couldn't put the two Kyles together in my mind; one so harsh and angry all the time and the other softened and caring. When I looked at him now, I could see more and more of our mother in him. I take after her most, I think, not in looks but personality. She was kind, always thinking of others above herself; fiercely devoted and protective. Bits of that were coming out in Kyle now, directed toward Sunny. I smiled, thinking that it added yet another way in how we are alike.

"Wanda's a nice," he paused, his face screwed up in thought. "Well, for lack of a better word, she's a nice girl. She didn't deserve how we treated her from the start. I am sorry, Ian."

"Makes everything we fought about before the invasion seem stupid, huh?" I asked.

He nodded. Then his face lifted a bit. "Do you remember when we first came to the caves?"

"How could I forget? And you, being the idiot that you were, decided it would be a good idea to ambush the three stooges."

"Hey, in my defense, I had no idea that Aaron, Andy and Brandt were human. We both thought they were Seekers at first."

"Yeah, until they showed us their neat little trick," I answered, thinking back to six years ago when we made our escape and our journey that brought us to the caves.

_ Kyle and I had just returned from a week-long hiking trip near Mount Hood; being the scholar that he was, he ditched classes at PSU to go with me. We had made a pit stop at our parents' house like any other day, just to check-in and let them know we made it home in one piece. Looking back, I wished I hadn't completely disregarded the sense of unease I felt when we walked through the front door. _

_ When we stepped into the living room, three Seekers were there, waiting; our mom had already been taken and had them at the house to collect us when we returned from our trip. We were so damned confused about the whole thing, we barely escaped capture. It was Kyle who made things out for what they were and sensed the danger we were in, even if we couldn't wrap our heads around it. Through the chaos, all I saw was the woman we called mom, looking at her only children with indifference and pity as the Seekers attempted to restrain us. I guess some base part of me realized the stark difference; she had my mother's face but this was not the woman who raised us. That woman would have fought tooth and nail to protect us._

_ Kyle and I had put up a good fight, but then again, the Seekers must not have expected much resistance. Running as fast as we could out the side door, we tore through the backyards of our neighbors until we couldn't run anymore. Kyle was the first to stop, gasping for breath, hands on his knees. As soon as the adrenaline started to seep from my body and I was able to form a rational thought, I wanted to go back for mom and get her to safety. I fought him on it, but Kyle had helped me see there was no going back for her; she was not our mother anymore. I don't think I'll ever forget the look on his face when he said that out loud. _

_ We laid low for a while over the next day or two. Kyle wanted to check Jodi immediately, but I convinced him that we weren't going to do her any favors by leading them straight to her if they were still looking for us. When we finally decided it was safe, we made our way to Kyle and Jodi's place. But it was too late. Through the windows in the living room we could see that Jodi was not there, but the Seekers were, most likely waiting for Kyle to come home. I think to this day he still blames me in part for losing Jodi, for not getting to her sooner. After that, I saw Kyle begin to transform into a bitter and hardened man who kept moving because if he didn't, he would break. We had lost too much._

_ The sense of overwhelming defeat didn't really kick in until the shock of things died down; even then, we were allowed only a moment or two to live with our grief, until we were forced to be on the move again. Kyle and I were running for our lives and everything that made us human. The movies about alien abductions had it all wrong; these takeovers didn't only happen in the dead of night with flashes of light and crazy, unexplained disappearances. This assault was much more terrifying. It went on in the light of day, so quickly and silently that you could barely stop to take a breath before everyone you knew was snatched up. Every person we considered a friend was no longer who they used to be._

_The souls were everywhere in the major cities, so Kyle and I knew we couldn't risk getting caught by holing in one of them. We got as far from Portland as we could, knowing that fewer people meant fewer problems – and that meant the desert, promising a whole lot of nothing. We remembered a few places from our trips south to Arizona and Utah with our parents when we were kids. Moving from place to place, we scrounged up what we could to survive. Over time, Kyle and I learned what had happened to Portland, to the entire planet. Apparently the 'war' had taken only a few weeks, without much of a resistance. So much for us humans being at the top of the food chain._

_ Kyle and I were smart, though. With just the two of us it was really easy to stay hidden. We'd met a few of the souls here and there, but nothing ever came of it. Luckily we hadn't run into any more Seekers. We were constantly moving until we finally found an abandoned trailer to call home on the far outskirts of Fortuna Foothills in Arizona. Not another person in sight for miles. Too bad the thing was armed like FortKnox; shot guns, pistols, ammo, you name it. Thank God for desert hillbillies. Things were good then; well, as good as they could have been, considering, but we were surviving. _

_When we met with Andy, Brandt and Aaron, Kyle and I had been on the run for over a year. We were doing a routine stop at a functioning, albeit run-down, gas mart for the basics; food, water and any clothes we might need. Possibly some liquor, if Kyle could find it. He usually never could; the souls had gotten rid of any form of recreational alcohol a long time ago. When we did our raids, Kyle and I always made a point to be fast, go to the smallest stores that were closed for the night and we always chose someplace different, if we were ever spotted. It was almost too easy sometimes; the souls were incredibly trusting and kept everything unlocked so you could walk right in without a fuss. Unfortunately, it was just as easy for others to do the same. As Kyle and I grabbed what we could, we heard the bell ring above the door, followed by the sounds of boots._

_ We stood frozen, just for a second, and then Kyle had reached for one of the pistols tucked into the back of his jeans. I put our bags down quietly and moved to the side to let Kyle pass in front of me, both of us lowering into a crouch. I remember my heart had been beating so fast I could hear the blood thrumming in my ears in the silence. It made hearing anything almost impossible. I followed quietly behind Kyle, but as we neared the end of the aisle, I saw the arm of his jacket sweep I reached for it too late and the metallic thud seemed to echo through the building. I cursed internally. Lot of good going with stealth did us; we probably could have just run out screaming instead._

_ The next thing we heard was the sound of guns being drawn and cocked, and heavy footsteps heading our way. Kyle and I braced ourselves, expecting an attack from the front, but one of them must have come at us at the back because the next thing I know I was pushed from behind, taking Kyle down into the main aisle with me. In a rush they disarmed us and had us on our feet, hands behind our back. A bright light cut through the darkness making both Kyle and I wince and turn our heads away._

_ "Look at us!" one of them yelled; Brandt._

_ We completely refused until Aaron and Andy had grabbed our faces and turned them toward Brandt's voice._

_ "I'll be damned," Brandt had said after a bit, lowering his gun and the light from our faces. "Looks like we've found some more."_

_ "Some more what? We aren't one of those things!" I had said viciously._

_ "Oh, I know that. Can tell by your peepers," Brandt had continued, looking us up and down. "And your clothes. Those parasites wouldn't be caught dead being that damn dirty."_

_ "Who the hell are you?" Kyle had asked, the permanent scowl on his face deepening. "And what's with the light?"_

_ "I'm Brandt," we were answered. "That's Aaron and Andy." He pointed behind me, then Kyle. "Let 'em go, guys." He clicked off the flashlight and tucked it in the back pocket of his cargo pants. "The light's how we know who's who nowadays. Looks like you're still human. Congratulations." _

_ "Thanks for the clarification," I had replied acerbically, then frowned. "You can tell just by using a light?"_

_ "We'll explain it to you later. Right now we've gotta get gone. Is it just the two of you?"_

_ I nodded once._

_ "Fantastic. Grab your stuff: you're coming with us to the caves," he replied._

_ "Wait, just like that?" Aaron had piped up. "You really think Jeb'll let them stay with us?"_

_ Brandt had thought for a moment and then nodded. "We could use the extra muscle. Besides, we'll have time to figure them out when we're there."_

_ "What makes you think we'll go anywhere with you?" Kyle had asked, the muscle in his jaw working. He had been annoyed that these guys got the jump on us. I was just curious to figure out how much they knew about the souls and why they weren't as disheveled and worn down as we were._

_"Lemme guess: you guys are holed up in some rickety-ass place, at the mercy of the Seekers if they had an inkling and decided to take a detour in your neck of the woods?"_

_He had pretty much summed it up in a sentence. Kyle and I hadn't known too much about the Seekers then. From how he explained them, I guessed they were the ones we had seen before; the ones that hunted down humans to take them. We stayed silent. _

_ "I'll take that as a yes, then. You come with us, you have protection and a safe place to live. It's an added bonus that you don't have to look at the same face day in and day out. There are plenty of us to go around."_

_ I felt my eyes widen. "How many of you are there?" I had asked. I could almost hear the awe dripping from my voice. As far as we knew, there were few or no others left. Brandt looked behind us at Andy and shrugged._

_ "Probably around twenty of us," Andy chimed in. The 'give-or-take' went unsaid._

_ This fact alone had pretty much settled it for me. The trailer home was a shotty substitute for shelter. At best we could live there for a little while longer before needing to move on again. The others offered something somewhat more permanent, if not a little too good to be true. _

_ I looked over at Kyle. _What have we got to lose? _I asked with my eyes. What I saw in his said it all: not a whole lot more _to_ lose, but tons to gain._

_ "We're in," I had said after a moment, turning to face Aaron, Andy, and then Brandt. "But we've got one more pit stop to make." _

_ I had a feeling we'd be needing the guns back at the trailer in the near future._

"I can't believe that was six years ago," I said to Kyle, bringing myself to the present.

"Feels like an eternity, huh?" he replied.

"Living with you, yeah," I joked back. I sighed as I got up from the mattress and stretched. "What time is it?"

"About dinner time, I think. Everyone had cleared out and was in the kitchen when I came here. 'Cept Doc, of course…nothing new happening with Jodi."

I looked at my brother, figuring out what best to say to make him feel better. I had no idea how things would turn out for him and Jodi. Truth was, it didn't look good; Sunny had been in her for too long.

"It's going to take a while...it's been years since she was herself." I began. "We can go and check on her soon, though. _After_ we eat."

"Roger, that," Kyle replied and stood up.

Reaching down, I grabbed Wanda's tank and tucked her under my arm. Kyle watched me but said nothing as we left and made our way down to the kitchen.


End file.
